Alfalfa-drier.



R. S. ROWLAND.

ALFALFA DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 190a.

Patented July 20, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. S. ROWLAND.

ALFALFA DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 190a.

Patented July 20, 1909.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

II II H II 2 91 hwooao M atto'wwvs R. S. ROWLAND.

ALFALFA DRIER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 7, 190a.

Patented July 20, 1909.

3 BHEETB-BEEBT 3.

ROBERT S. ROWLAND, OF OKLAHOMA,- OKLAHOMA.

ALFALFA-Dnmn.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed August'i, 1908. Serial No. 447,461.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. ROWLAND, citizen-of the United States, residing atOklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alfalfa- Driers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention rovides a novel machine for reparing alfalfa or other grass or hay for t e market Without detracting from its appearance or nutritive qualities and enabling, the same to be kept or stored for a reasona le length of time without deteriorating.

The machine in its organization embodies a cutting mechanism for reducing the alfalfa or like material into short lengths, and a series of drier elements for removing moisture from the material without afi'ecting its color or food qualities.

"For a full understandin of the invention and the merits thereof an also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the'following description and accom anying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to partin from the spirit or essential features thereo, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear viewof the machine; Fi 3 1s a transverse section on the line 33 0 Fig. 1.

Fi 4 is an end view of'a drum.

orresponding and like parts are referred.

to in the following description and indicated in'all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The 1. aehine is mounted upon a truck so that it may be readily transported from place to place. The Zirier elements are suitably housed, being located within a casing 1 which is preferably of metal, stiffened and strengthened by bars. A furnace 2 is located beneath the casing and a slide 3 controls an opening b means of which direct communication is ad between the furnace and the casing. An exhaust fan 4 has connection with the upper portion of the casing to draw off the moisttand damp air and to 1 createa positive circulation through the cas ing and the drier elements. I

A series of drier elements are arranged within the casing and are disposed in vertlcal and horizontal rows and are adapted to discharge the material from one into' the other so that in the operation of the machine the green material fed to the first drier element passes through the seriesv of drier elements and is discharged from the last drier element in marketable form. The drier elements are of tapered form and their axes have a horizontal and parallel arran ement and as a result the lower portions 0 the drier elements incline to the horizontal, thereby causin the material to feed thereover automatical by gravitative force. The drier elements ave an alternatearrangement, that is,they are placed with the small end of one drier element opposite the lar er ends of the adjacent drier elements, suc arrangementeconomizing space as well as serving to feed the material through the casin in a zigzag or backward and forward pat struction illustrated, nine drier elements are em loyed and are arran ed in three vertical an horizontal lines an are designated, res ectively, by thereference characters a, 11,0, d? e, f, g, h and i. Each drierelement is of like formation com rising a drum 5 and a heating coil 6 encircling the drum. The drum, as well as the heating coil tapers throughout its length. The heating coils are connected in series and are adapted to be connected in an suitable manner with a steam boiler, not s own, or other source of steam supply. The heating coils are stationary, whereas the drums are mountedto rotate. A shaft 7 passes axially through each drum and is connected with the latter at intervals in its length by means of arms 8, the latter varying in length accordin to their position "and the distance between t eshaft 7 and the opposing arts of the drum to which the arms are attac ed. The shafts 7 are mounted at their'ends in bearings fitted to the walls of the casing. The topmost drum of each ver In the contical line of drier elements is adapted to discharge the material at the outer end into the u permost end of the drum next below, and tiie middle drum is adapted to discharge the material from its outer end into the smaller end of the lowermost drum- Spouts .9 are provided to convey the material from one drum to the drum next below. as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. An elevator 10conveys' the material from the lowest drum 0 of the first series to the top drum (1 of the secondseries and an elevator 11 conveys the material from the lowest drum f of the second series to being smallest in the topmost drums, lar er in the middle drum and still larger in t e lowest drums. The perforations admit afree passage of the hot air through the sides of the drums and also provide an unobstructed passage for the escape of the moisture driven off from the material. cated in the lower portion of the casing below the series of'driers and is ada ted to have a reciprocating motion imparte thereto. The

an or riddle inclines from front to rear and 18 adapted to discharge the material escaping throu h the openings in the sides of the drums into t e trough 12. To facilitate the feed of the material over the pan or riddle, the same is jogged or stepped upon its upper surface. Any suitable means may be employed for imparting a reciprocating movement to the pan or riddle.

The alfalfa, grass, hay or other material is fed to the machine by means of an endless conveyer 15. A pair of suitable feed rolls 16 is located at the inner end of the endless conveyer 15 and grips the material as the latter passes between them, and positively advances the same over a table 17 to a rotary cutter 18, which latter may be of any variety commonly em loyed for cutting fibrous material, such as ay or grain, into short lengths or feed. A pressure plate 19 is located above the table 17 and lts outer edge curves upwardly.

The operation of the machine is manifest from the foregoing detail description, it being obvious that the material, when cut, passes throu h a spout-20 into the small end of the first (hum a of the series and after making the circuit of each ofthe drums in succession, the material is finally discharged from the machine through the trough 12 in marketable form, the material possessing the color and nutritive qualities in the same degree as prior to treatment.

A riddle or pan'14 is 10- Hav' thus described'the invention, what ranged to catch material escapingl from the I drier element and to conduct silo material to the conveyer. v

3. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a casing provided with a trough, a drier element mounted in the casing and adapted to have material pass therethrough and to discharge the same into the trough, and a riddle disposed below the drier element and inclined toward the trough and arranged to catch material escaping from the drier element and to dischargethe sameinto the trough.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing rovided with a trough, a series of drier e ements located Within the casing and adapted to have material ass therethrough in successive order, one of the drier elements being arranged to discharge material into the trough, and a screw conveyer mounted in the trough to positively eject material from the casin 5. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a series of rotary drier elements adapted to have material pass therethrough in successive order, and a plurality of heatin coils connected in series and within which t e res ective drier elements are rotatably mounte 6. In a machine of the character'described, the combination of a casin a series of drier elements located within t e casing, a conveyer at one end of the-lower portion of the casing, and a riddle in the lower portion of the casing below the drier elements and adapted to discharge into the said conveyer. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. ROWLAND. Witnesses:

JNO. R. HARRIS, A. R. TURNER. 

